Rice County Observer Report: Committee of the Whole, 8.1.23

Rice County Committee of the Whole/Work Session

August 1, 2023

• Public Comment
  • The process for making public comment on the agenda items was described. 
• Outside Agency Presentations in preparation for 2024 Funding Requests
  • Rice County Agricultural Society
    • Presenting on fairground maintenance and forthcoming funding request. Note that fairgrounds manager will be leaving role after 10 years at the end of this year. 
  • Northfield Public Library
    • Presentation by Natalie Draper, Director, Northfield Public Library regarding Northfield Public Library 2024 budget 
    • Top priorities: Expanding access within and beyond downtown location, including through the new Library Oasis slated to open in September. It’s about 1,500 square feet big, and Rocky Casillas has been commissioned to create a mural at the new oasis. 
    • Draper presented a review of key programs and accomplishments in the past year and forthcoming events, such as Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Joe Rainy concert, presented in partnership with Carleton College, the book mobile, and entrepreneurial workshops in English and Spanish. 
    • The library has eliminated single-use plastic bags, in part thanks to community volunteers sewing reusable bags
      • Public Comment: Bill North, Member of the Friends of the Library
        • Offered thanks to the county commissioners for supporting the Northfield Public Library’s budget with contributions from the County. 
  • Prairie’s Edge Humane Society
    • Director of Prairie’s Edge Humane Society shared challenges:
      • Most animals that come in have not received any needed medical care, and the Society wants to send them back out into the community healthy. 
      • The Society depends on community donations and county contributions for their budget.
      • Another challenge is that there are many animals that cannot be put into homes, such as feral cats. 
      • Purfeerst Question: of the 70 animals you take in a year, what percent don’t pay a donation?
        • Answer: About 75%
  • Buckham Memorial Library
    • Delane James, director of Buckham Library, presented 2024 funding request
    • Adding to library of things: adventure kits, such as a litter cleanup kits, pickleball kits, lawn games, car engine diagnostic device, 3D pen kit
    • They also have a seed library, where residents can checkout seeds, collect seed from their gardens, and return them to the seed library
    • Library received a large gift a few years ago and the board has decided to invest a third of that in enhancing the library’s maker space. Another third will go to enhancing existing library spaces. 
    • Thanks to the Library friends, the library is using the plaza for events, gatherings, etc. 
    • Library became sensory certified through partner Culture City – first public library in State of Minnesota to become certified. This supports patrons who may have PTSD, autism spectrum disorder, etc. 
    • New library strategic plan in development this year
    • Comment from Hoisington: Our library is a great resource for our community. His wife has homeschooled their children, and the library has been a great resource for that, and now for his grandchildren. 
    • Public Comment: Pat Rafferty, Friends of the Library
      • Everybody is welcome at the library – Black, white, homeschool, Catholic school — everyone. Thank you for your support. 
  • Rice County Historical Society
    • Director Dave Nichols
      • Change in leadership since Sue Garwood departed this year
      • New programs: working hard to be more inclusive of families and get younger people into the museum
      • Goal of representing the whole county, including townships
        • Eg: working with Bridgewater Township on a century farm project 
      • New school program: School busing program providing free bus for schools that want to bring students to the museum. Starting with Faribault.
      • Brought 4,000 new objects into the collection in the last year
      • Working on a museum expansion 
• Community Corrections, Angela Brewer
  • Provided an update on legislative changes that take effect today
    • Fees changes forthcoming
    • Current fees
      • Supervision fees for those on probation ($25 – $500)
        • Charged to an individual, if unpaid there is a collection process
      • Additional fee for service for drug screening confirmation ($25 per drug)
      • Polygraph and sex offender assessment costs – many are reimbursed through a grant, but if not, they are assessed to the individual
      • Electronic Alcohol Monitoring – statutes require a person who is not in custody is on an alcohol monitor while their case is pending. The statute allows for a person to be on a monitor in lieu of bail, but the person ahs to pay it. But the county sees that many individuals cannot pay for it. So either there needs to be a funding mechanism in place while case is pending, or they remain in Rice County Jail. Corrections does receive a small $5,000-$12,000 grant per year but pays $50-$60k per year.
        • Brewer reviewed the rationale for corrections paying these fees, in response to questions about why the county would pay for this on behalf of folks. 
    • Changes
      • Elimination of supervision fees on August 1, 2027
        • Have to submit a written plan for the elimination of those fees by August 1, 2025
      • In the past the director of corrections COULD waive fees, if the person were indigent or had other significant life circumstances preventing them from paying
        • As of August 1, 2023, the statute now reads that the director of corrections MUST waive the fees, if the person demonstrates that they cannot pay the fees. 
      • Folsted noted this is a good time to advocate at the state level for additional funding support to offset these lost fees. 
      • Plan at Rice County Community Corrections
        • Address timing: Currently individuals have a year to pay fees assessed. Will be assessing eligibility for waiver at the one-year mark, so they have a year to make a plan to pay.
          • County will use indigency standards (125% of poverty level) to assess whether a waiver will be provided
          • Will also assess whether they can complete community service or participate in a program
        • Corrections is separating out different types of fees in billing and collection process and documentation to support better data collection and reporting on the financial impact on Rice County through the loss of these fees. 
        • Brewer plans to bring a report to the Commissioners each year 
      • Corrections did apply for a grant to cover or offset lost fees, assist clients with employment skills, cover alcohol screening device costs, etc. 
      • Purfeerst question: Do the people in community service work need to be supervised?
        • Answer: It depends. Right now we do not employ a person in that role. Depend on individual placements, where they may have a supervisor in place to oversee the work they’re doing. 
      • Purfeerst follow up: If we needed the fairgrounds to be painted, could that count as community service?
        • Answer: Yes. 
        • Folsted: There is a past conversation with Steele County about how to run such programs, including a possible Sentencing to Serve program in partnership with Steele and Rice. This would include a subsidized crew leader, but the application process would not be complete until 2025. 
• Finance with Paula O’Connell
  • Spoke to cash and liquid balances, bond balances
    • Bond interest: County can potentially retain interest earned on bond funds. Depends on arbitrage and timing of draw down timing. 
    • Underdahl comment: It is good to see the market has turned and portfolio is doing well. 
  • Presented second quarter financials
    • Purfeerst question clarifying Agricultural Society expenses and whether insurance costs are included in those expenses or is calculated separately.
      • Answer: Departments get charged proportionate share of interest costs at end of year.
    • Purfeerst question: Regarding the landfill after the fire – have they been able to investigate the liners under there?
      • Answer: That’s a Julie question. Insurance is going to cover any emergency services the County had at the landfill. 
• Adjourned at 9:59 am

Respectfully Submitted,

Sinda Nichols, Observer